History and Football Combined -- Super Bowl Interlude

Declaration of Dedication to the Philadelphia Eagles

When in the course of any football season, it becomes necessary for one fan base to state its resolve to those bands which have connected them to their team, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Football and Fandom entitle them, a decent respect among football fans everywhere requires that they should declare the foundation of their dedication.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all true Eagles fans are dedicated, that they are endowed by their allegiance to certain undeniable and unalienable qualities, that among these are Commitment, Passion and the Pursuit of a Super Bowl Championship – That to utilize these qualities the Eagles have been instituted in Philadelphia, deriving their goals and rewards from the enthusiasm of the fans – That whenever the Eagles take the field to destroy their opponents, it is the right of the fans to support and cheer the Eagles forward to victory.  Loyalty, indeed, will dictate that our love of the Eagles long established will never be changed, and accordingly all experience hath shown that Eagles fans are more disposed to suffer, under any circumstances, rather than abolish the depth of feeling we will show our team.  Through the long years of abuses and slanders we have endured from the National Media, and the heartbreak and anguish of seasons of woe, it is our right, it is our duty to maintain our mutual support and affection for our team, our city and our region.  The history of the fans under this present coach presents our fears with promise and possibility, having in all of this the direct object for a successful season and an NFL championship.  To demonstrate our dedication, let the Facts be submitted to a candid world.

We have refused to express allegiance for any other NFL franchise, even in our quest for fantasy points.

We have forbidden the blatant display of other teams jersey’s without expressing our displeasure.

We have refused to accommodate the opinions of the vile Cowboy and Giants fans in our midst, and refuted their arguments against us at every turn.

We have called together tailgate and watch parties at places usual, comfortable, both close and far from Lincoln Financial Field, for the sole purpose of rooting our team in win or in loss.

We have dissolved our memories of failures past to embrace the hope of future grid-iron glory.

We have refused for a long time, over 50 years, to cause ourselves to lose faith in the prospect that one day the Lombardi Trophy will parade down Broad Street.

We have endeavored to prevent our children and friends from cheering for another team, and for that purpose have obstructed their view of any other NFL franchise.

We have made our players and organization dependent on our will to continue in their offices and the amount and payment of their salaries.

We have erected signs that express our commitment and passion, even to the objection of our beloved players.

We have held sacred the memory of those who have gone before us from Concrete Chuck to Reggie and Jerome, from Waters both Ricky and Andre to those that take the field today.

We have remained in awe of 4^th and 26.

We have always loved 5, even as he will always love us.

We have kept among us, during the off-season, our gear and jerseys and team bumper stickers.

We have combined as fans to subject the Nation to the fervor of what it means to be a true fan, even when we have been subjected to ridicule by those who do not understand our commitment in many instances:
For throwing snowballs at Santa, whose disheveled and drunken appearance demanded action:
For cheering when a fallen star from another team appeared not to rise, but then quickly changed to cheers to acknowledge the competency of our opponent:
For offenses against public decorum that are only highlighted because we are Philadelphia Eagles fans

We will boo

We will boo our team to voice the passion of our love and the ire of our disappointment.

We will boo opposing teams to voice the passion of our hate for them

We will boo ourselves or anyone that stands to diminish the pleasure we derive from pursuing our role as fans, for in this as in all things, this is Philadelphia and in Philadelphia “We fight” --

In every stage of every season we will remain true in our Passion and Dedication to Our team.  Our repeated cheers will be sustained by standing ovations and our fight song.  We will defy those who scorn and ridicule us and maintain our character as the toughest and most dedicated fan base in the NFL.

We, therefore, the Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, by the authority of the good people of our city and region, solemnly publish and declare our dedication in good times or in bad, in victory or in loss, to the Philadelphia Eagles

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

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